Shoe-lasting device



April 15, 1930- H. H. RoosA 1,754,695

SHOE LASTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 1'7, 1929 TOR zz's ATroRNEYs INV Patented pr. 15, 193

HERBERT E. ROOSA, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA SHOE-LASTING DEVICE Application filed .T anuary 17, 1929.` Sleral No. 333,147.

This invention relates to a shoe lasting device, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and satisfactory device for securing parts of a shoe temporarily in position during the lasting of the shoe. l

Another object is the provision of a device so designed and constructed that the shoe p lastermay accomplish by one operation and in a very short space of time the result which has formerly required several operations and a considerably longer amount of time.

Still another object is the provision of a p securing `device which is not consumed or rendered Vuseless after being employed once, but which may be utilized over and over again. A further object is the provision of a single unitary device to take the place of a comaratively large number of tacks, which may Ee applied quickly and easily, and which may be removed after use much more quickly and easily than the tacks previously employed for this purpose.

To these andother ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

3o In the drawings:

` nally substantially through the center of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a device constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig.4 is a side elevation thereof, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view thereof. Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a shoe last 10 which may be of any suitable construction, either entirely of wood or entirely of metal, or partly of wood and partly of metal. In the manufacture of the shoe, an insole 11 is ordinarily placed on the top of this last as 50 shown in Fig. 2, the last being in inverted position as illustrated. The lining of the shoe, usually of fabric, is shown at 12, while the layer of leather or other material forming the upper of the shoe is illustrated at 13. rdinaiily a toe box 14C of relatively stiff material 55 is placed between the upper 13 and the lining 12 in the toe portion of the shoe, in order to stiff-en this toe portion and to cause it to maintain the desired shape.

During the lasting of the shoe, the upper edges of the layers 12, 13 and 14 are brought up over the insole 11 and turned over to lie on the upper surface ofthis insole. Often these layers are secured to the insole by cement, and usually they are temporarily fastened to the insole by tacks', either for holding the parts in position while the cement hardens, or for any otherpurpose desired. Tacks for holding the upper and lining to the insole along the sides of the shoe are illustrated at 15 in Fig. 1.

There are certain objections to the use of tacks, however, and these objections are more pronouncedat the toe of the shoe than along the sides. On account of the curvature of the toe, the upper and lining are apt to pucker or form pleats'between the tacks, and it is difficult torhold the parts in proper position by tacks. p Furthermore, a portion of the upper or lining may slip u hile tacks are being s0 placed in another portion. Placing the tacks requires alconsiderable length of time and necessitates striking of a considerable number of blows by the operator. When the tacks have served their purpose, they must be removed, which again requires a considerable length of time since each tack must be taken out individually. After being used once, the tacks are usually bent or injured so that they may not be used over again, and thus the expense of tacks alone in a large shoe factory is considerable. In some instances, it may be impossible or undesirable to remove sonieof thetacks and those which remain are apt to be struck by the needle during Vsubsequent sewing operations, so` that the needle may be broken or bent.

It is to obviate these objections and unsat` isfactory features inherent in the use of tacks that the present invention has been designed.

According to this invention, a unitary device is provided to take the place of a considerable number of tacks. This device is used to hold the arts temporarily in proper position, just 5 as t e tacks have heretofore been used for this purpose, but the device of the present invention may be applied in a fraction of the time required to apply the tacks which it replaces, and it may be removed instantly by one operation, thus again saving time, and it may be used over and over again, which is important from the standpoint of economy.

A preferred embodiment of this novel device is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, from which it will be seen that it comprises a body portion in the form of a plate having a somewhat U-shaped outline. A flange 21 depends from this plate along the U-shaped sides thereof, but not across the other side 20 Which joins the ends of the U-shaped sides.

A series of sharp points 22 depend from the lower edge of this flange 21, at short intervals along the flange. Preferably, the plate 90, the flange 21, and the points 22 are all made from a single integral piece of sheet material, which may be stamped and bent into the proper shape easily, quickly, and economically. If desired, however, the points ma be constructed of separate pieces of materia] secured in any suitable manner to the plate or body portion.

In operation, the layers 12, 13 and 14 are pulled over the edge of the insole 11 and wiped in and held down against the insole,

either by hand or by the jaws of a lasting machine. A device constructed according to the present invention is then placed on the toe of the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and the operator strikes it with his hammer, which causes the sharp points 22 to pierce the upper and project into the insole 1l in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Ordinarily a single blow of the hammer is sufficient to drive the device to its proper position, whereas a dozen Or so tacks which this device replaces would require at least a dozen blows of the hammer, takin considerably more of the operator-s time.

ot only does the use of this device save time, but it actually holds the upper, lining, and toe box more accurately and securely in sition thanY could be done by tacks. The epending flange 21, when the plate is driven down, comes into contact with the upper and smooths or flattens down those portions of the upper which are between the points 22, thus helping to eliminate puckers and pleats, and making a more satisfactory toe construction. Furthermore, it fastens all parts of the toe at once, eliminating the possibility of part of the material slipping While another part is being tacked.

When the cement uniting the upper, lining, and toe box to the insole has set, or when for any other reason this temporary securing i means has served its purpose, the device may then be removed. This is accomplished instantly and easily simply by inserting any suitable member in the space between the plate 2O and the insole 11, along the rear side of the device, and prying the device upwardly. Thus the time necessary to remove individually a dozen or so tacks is saved. Furthermore, the device is not injured in use and may be used over and over again repeatedly. After the device has been removed from the shoe the making of the shoe may be completed in the usual manner, and need not be described here in detail.

The dimensions and proportions of the de vice may be varied according to requirements. The shape or outline of the device will naturally depend on the shape of the last of the shoe. The points 22 may be made of any desired length, so that they will pass part way through the insole 11, as shown in Fig. 2, or so that they may pass entirely through the insole and partly into the last, if preferred. The flange 21 serves as a stop limiting the downward movement of the device, so that the body portion or plate 20 will always be spaced somewhat from the insole, thus alwaysconnection with the lasting of the toe, this.

being a preferred embodiment.

lVhile one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is therefore not to be limited to the precise details shown, but is intended to cover all variations and modilications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A shoe lasting device comprising a body portion substantially in the form of a relatively rigid plate, and a multiplicity of points attached thereto, said points being arranged to be forced through the upper by a blow struck on the body portion, for securing the upper temporarily in position during the lasting of the shoe.

2. A shoe lasting device comprising a body portion in the form of a relatively rigid plate and a series of points secured thereto, said points being located along a substantially U-shaped line and being arranged to be driven through a shoe upper by a blow struck on said body portion, for securing the upper temporarily in position.

3. A shoe lasting device comprising a body portion, a flange depending therefrom, and a series of points pro]ecting downwardly from the lower edge of said flange and arranged to be driven into a shoe upper bya blow struck on said body portion, for securing the upper temporarily in position, said ange serving to limit the downward motion of said device and to Hatten the portions of said upper between said points.

4. A shoe lasting device comprising a body portionin the form of a relatively rigid plate having a substantially U-shaped outline, and a series of points projecting downwardly therefrom adjacent the edges of said plate, said points being arranged to be driven as a unit through a shoe upper by a blow struck on said plate, to secure the upper temporarily in position durinthe lasting of the shoe.

ERBERT H. ROOSA. 

